Disclaimer: The characters in this story were created by someone else; I can take no credit for it.
A/N: First published in the second CDzine from the STAR for Brian. Thank you all.
Epilogophilia – The Long Ago Girl
Hardcastle begins acting strangely after hearing of the death of a hotel mogul. McCormick begins to understand when the judge explains that the man was the husband of a wartime girlfriend, actress Jane Bigelow. Hardcastle is shot in the arm while visiting the Bigelow residence and Jane visits him in the hospital. The shooter is then murdered and Jane is suspected of his death and arrested. Hardcastle and McCormick investigate to clear her and find that her "dead" husband was an embezzler and faked his death to escape legal charges.
Epilogue -- by Owlcroft
The sixth time Judge Hardcastle noticed McCormick glancing at him, he snapped "Watch where you're driving! You don't need to be looking at me!"
McCormick obediently stared through the windshield at the road ahead. After a short pause, he offered, "I was just wondering how you were doing."
"I'm fine. I'll be back under the hoop showing ya how to really the play the game by this time next week." Hardcastle shifted uncomfortably, being careful not to jar his shoulder.
"Well," said Mark slowly, "that's not really what I was talking about." He slowed and turned left under the arch that read "Gulls Way".
The judge flapped a hand at him. "I know what you were talking about and I'm fine."
"Good." McCormick pulled the Coyote up right behind the truck parked in front of the brick steps. "You got ten minutes to check your messages and make a pit stop. I'll be packing the cooler." He lifted himself out of the driver's side window.
"Wait. What?" Hardcastle maneuvered clumsily until he found the door release. "Hold it. What're ya talking about now?"
"Pit stop. Go toy-toy. Tinkle. Take a lick." Mark grinned at the judge's expression. "The truck's packed with all our gear and I got the stuff ready to go into the cooler, so hop to it. There are many lonely fish waiting for me up there." He waved an arm in a vague easterly direction.
"You packed all our stuff?" Hardcastle followed the younger man into the house. "To go fishing?"
"Yep. We're all set." He turned back at the kitchen door to face the judge and looked suddenly insecure. "That's okay, isn't it? I mean, I figured it would give you a chance to think about things, get a little perspective. Besides, you need to take it easy for a few days. So do I, for that matter."
"Huh. Well." The judge pondered for a moment, then said, "Yeah, I guess . . ."
"And you can fish upstream this time." The McCormick grin was back. "After all, you need all the help you can get!"
"Oh, yeah? Well, I got twenty that says I catch twice as many fish as you do, smart guy. I've got a lot more experience than you do and there are a whole lotta fish in that stream with my name on 'em."
"You've got a bet." Mark turned to enter the kitchen, then hesitated and turned back again. "She's a really classy lady, Judge. I like her a lot."
"Me too, kiddo." Judge Hardcastle smiled gently. "Me, too."